You know you’re an adult when . . . upon awaking you look out the window to see if it’s still snowing and how much snow accumulated over night. If you are a child, and there is a lot of snow on the ground, and more to come, you start making fun plans. For instance, you might go sledding, construct a snow fort, or build a snowman. So you get outside as quickly as possible, so that you might get going on the day’s activities.

If you are an adult, and there is a lot of snow on the ground, and more to come, you pull the pillow over your head and feign sleep. I say feign because you can’t sleep. This is because you have begun making not-so-fun plans. That snow is going to have to be moved and you are going to have to be a part of the process. So you stay inside for as long as possible, so that you might avoid having to deal with the day’s activities.

Pete and I are now adults, so we no longer fully equate heavy snowfalls with having a good time. I say no longer fully equate because we are also still children at heart. Yesterday we got out for a lengthy ski. I suspect that if Pete didn’t have strength training this afternoon that we might have gone skiing again. But this would have been after having done our adult thing and relocated the 12 or so inches that fell in the past twenty-four hours.

Pete plowed, scooped, and shoveled after breakfast, and plowed, scooped, and shoveled the paths, driveway, and front area after lunch. I worked on the chapter that is to accompany my Gift of a Good Ride proposal after breakfast, and scooped and shoveled out the horse pen after lunch. The latter was a rather adult-like activity because it was an instance of foresight. It’s easier to walk around in the enclosure and to pick up poop when there’s less snow on hand. All total, Pete spent four hours on his onerous task and I spent two hours on my onerous task. Quite obviously, he’s a more exemplary adult than I am.

The sun was shining and temps were in the low 30s by the time we finished. I decided that since the weather was good, I would take Tyra and Rider for a hike on the trail. We got out there and I discovered that the terrain was like sand. It was very slow going for me and the critters. We got as far as Moose Camp and I agreed with the two that enough was enough. We turned around and headed for home.

Tyra, knowing we were headed back, became super enthused about what she then saw as a wonderful outing. She repeatedly raced ahead of me at top speed, stopped, waited a bit and then raced back to me at top speed.

I later got Hrimmi and Tinni out. I started to take them around the loop. I let them both off line – they raced up our neighbor Jim’s driveway, back down, and at top speed headed the way we came, in the direction of home.

Tomorrow the fun continues. Pete and I both have dental appointments. I’ve decided to wait on having my tooth pulled. I’m an adult, and adults get to make these kinds of decisions on their own.

Next: 36. 2/5/19: And Yet another Conversation with my Tooth